Christmas blessings to you! As we celebrate the birth of the Christ child, we experience the abounding love of a God who will never let us go. Today's reflection on this miraculous act of defiant love is provided by Shani McIlwain, a member of the MLP National Board of Directors. May these words inspire us all as we continue to seek the beloved community within and outside of our Church walls. CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE VIDEO RECORDING OF SHANI'S CHRISTMAS REFLECTION The transcript can be found below: Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas to all of you who are watching/reading and have followed our More Light reflections throughout Advent. And we are finally here on Christmas Day. Many years ago, I was a new leader in ministry and I had the task of creating the children's program that we did at my church. Just so happened that that year, Christmas, like it is this year, fell on a Sunday. And my daughters were very little at the time, I believe two and three or three and four. And I had been preparing for them for weeks that they were going to, we were going to have a party. We were going to have a party on our best friend's birthday, and we were going to sing a special happy birthday song. And so for those of you who have been in children's ministry or have participated or have been a spectator of a children's program at church, there is a song that many might know called Happy Birthday, Jesus, I'm so glad it's Christmas. We had practiced this song for weeks. And at the day of my three-year-old got stage fright. Got stage fright, and the intro came in and she was supposed to start singing. And she looked around and she said, nope. So they gave her another intro. She looked around and she did not start singing. So then the third time I went to grab the microphone from her, giving her this out, giving her this grace, and she said, "No, I want to sing to Jesus." And in that moment, she finally did it on the third try. Oftentimes we look at those scary moments of having stage fright and doing things out of our comfort zone. But this is a reminder that the entire story that we've been invited to participate in, from the moment that the angel came to Mary, from the moment that the angel came to Elizabeth, the moment that the angel came to Joseph, all the players in this story, we were met with the beginning of do not be afraid. And so this Christmas time, this Christmas joy is all about not being afraid. Not being afraid of the invitation that this Christ child came so that we may have life, and life abundantly. Came so that we would not have to go through this life and this world alone. And that by invitation, we get to participate in a life that is full of risk taking, full of stage fright, but yet God is near. Christ is near. Christ will come again. And the risk of believing in it all is more inviting and more meaningful, knowing that we are in community with one another. We are in community with people that might differ from us. We are yet in community with all of the things that come with being in community, but that Christ is with us. Do not be afraid, because joy is among us. Do not be afraid, because love is among us. Do not be afraid, because peace is among us. Do not be afraid, because hope is among us and with us and through us. And so on this Christmas morning, I say, “Joy to the world. Joy to the world. Amen.” |
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